Air Force Opens Action at Potts Invitational

BOULDER, Colo. – Headlined by the fourth-best weight throw distance in Academy history from junior Paige Birch, the Air Force field event athletes kicked off the 2026 calendar year this afternoon (Jan. 16), with the opening day of the Potts Indoor Invitational in Boulder.

Birch unleashed a career-best throw of 17.18 meters (56'4½") – a personal improvement of more than three feet – to finish fourth in the 18-thrower event. The junior was one of two Air Force throwers to impact the record book in the weight throw, as senior Massimo Grisotto debuted at No. 16 on the men's all-time standings after recording a seventh-place throw of 17.59 meters (57'8½").

AIR FORCE TOP-10 MARKS

No. 4 - Paige Birch, Women's Weight Throw (17.18m, 56'4½")

Freshman Max McFarlane also debuted in the Air Force Record Book on Friday, as he recorded a runner-up pole vault clearance of 5.15 meters (16'10¾") to tie for No. 21 on the program's all-time list. Fellow freshman Max Austin finished fourth in the pole vault (4.85 meters, 15'11"), while classmate Chris Atunku added a top-five finish in the high jump (fifth) with a clearance of 1.96 meters (6'5").

Junior Arden Jenkins joined Grisotto in the top 10 of the weight throw results with a 10th-place distance of 16.56 meters (54'4"), while senior Texas Tanner and sophomore Trevin Jordan collected top-10 finishes in the shot put. Tanner recorded a distance of 18.48 meters (60'7¾") to place second in the 20-thrower field, while Jordan posted a season-best throw of 15.49 meters (50'10") to place eighth.

Back on the women's side, sophomore Morgan Glaser was the top collegiate finisher in the high jump (1.71m, 5'7¼"), as she and freshman Zoe Heizer (1.66m, 5'5¼") went 1-2 in the college division and 2-3 in the overall field. The women also had a strong showing at the top of the long jump results, as Air Force claimed four of the top seven leaps in the 18-jumper event. Sophomore Alese Banks (5.66m, 18'7") and junior Kayla Beach (5.54m, 18'2¼") both surpassed the 18-foot barrier to finish third and fourth, respectively, while sophomore Ryan McFadden finished sixth with a distance of 5.32 meters (17'5½") and classmate Sarah Reynolds placed seventh with a mark of 5.23 meters (17'2").

With a distance of 10.78 meters (35'3¾"), freshman Mackenzie Fah finished 10th in her collegiate debut to round out the list of Falcons that placed within the top half of their respective fields.

With the field events complete, Air Force will turn its attention to the track tomorrow (Jan. 17), as the program's runners will head to Colorado's Indoor Practice Facility for the final day of the Potts Invitational.

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Players Mentioned

Chris Atunku

Max Austin

Alese Banks

Kayla Beach

Paige Birch

Mackenzie Fah

Morgan Glaser

Massimo Grisotto

Zoe Heizer

Arden Jenkins

Trevin Jordan

Ryan McFadden

Max McFarlane

Sarah Reynolds

Texas Tanner

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